it's the little things...

I still tried to read daily but less stress on myself than last year.  I think it's safe to say I'm back in the routine of reading and I love it.  Some of these were family reads--I'm so glad we've moved beyond picture books.  * were my favorites. How To Stop Time* Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan's Curse The Last Thing He Told Me Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue* Wonder Seeker Don't Put a Cactus in the Bathroom The Summer Job Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow Game On: Tempting 28 Call Us What We Carry The Four Winds Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian part of the first Bridgerton book The Supernatural Society A Gentleman in Moscow The Nest State of Terror Wish You Were Here We Were Never Here The Mysterious Benedict Society The Seven Day Switch Porch Lies The Personal Librarian* Red, White, and Royal Blue The Art of Gruene Beautiful World, Where Are You Big Panda and Tin...

It was a banner year for reading!  One of my goals was to read 21 minutes a day in 2021.  I was successful 97% of days (only missed 10).  And obviously read a lot more than 21 minutes on many days...  Really reading again (after not reading many non-kid books over the last decade) helped me feel like I was claiming something for myself.  What an idea! 1. The Girl With the Louding Voice 2. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry 3. The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise 4. Better Than Before 5. To Kill a Mockingbird 6. The Twenty-One Balloons 7. Dark Water Rising 8. The Book of Lost Names 9. Diamond as Big as the Ritz (novella) 10. Fried and Prejudiced 11 & 12. Nancy Drew #1 and #3 13. Locker Hero (audiobook) 14. New Kid (audiobook) 15. Encyclopedia Brown Saves the Day (audiobook) 16. Fortune and Glory: Tantalizing 27 17. The Sidewalk Story 18. West With Giraffes 19. Attracting Native Pollinators 20. Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale 21. Percy J...

Oh, my.  So two books in a whole year?!  The Handmaid's Tale and The Shack.  And both of those were read by March.  Hmm...did I really not read more?  Or is it that I have about 900 books that I've started and never finished?  Or that I've read like 7 books in the Series of Unfortunate Events with the kids and I don't count those.  Who knows. 

So I just added this to the list a few days ago.  Then, unexpectedly, the first opportunity of 2013 arose.  Weather wasn't the best (low 40s, rainy, windy, did I mention cold?) but it was nearby, on trails, and The Brother was doing it.  We abandoned our spouses and children and ran our first 5k of the year.  He's been running the entire thing for over a year now but it was my first time.  When I ran the one in December, I felt like I was getting close to accomplishing this goal but didn't expect it to be the very next run.  Woohoo!  My time was about 39:35.  Under 40!  We'll have several runs coming up as it gets a little warmer.  I guess my new goal should be to beat that time.

I should totally be working.  I haven't been motivated at the job for many days since I came back from maternity leave this time.  It's sad.  I'll get stuff done, though.  I promise.  Anyway, last year I wrote this post that including what Life List items I wanted to work on for the year.  It included: Have that second child. Find the perfect mac and cheese recipe. Make a baby quilt for that second child. And keep the beginnings of a good baby book for that same kid. To work on my posture. Well, I accomplished numbers 1, 3, and 4.  I don't think I made mac and cheese once, and my posture is still poor.  But, come on.  Number 1 is kind of a biggie so I'm still considering it a successful year.  I also mentioned in that post that we were going to try to sell our house, buy a new one, and for me to change positions within my company.  Cross all 3 of those off the list.  So I'm a schlumpy, non-mac-and-cheese-makin' person...

Slightly behind on the 2012 wrap-up this year but doing way better than last year apparently.  Go me.  Anyway, here's the reading list. Read some of: I know this much is true And Baby Makes Three Hans Anderson's Fairy Tales Baby 411 And read all of: 9. About a Boy 8. The Paris Wife 7. Pregnancy Day by Day 6. Run Like a Mother 5. The Love List 4. Bossypants 3. Mockingjay 2. Catching Fire 1. The Hunger Games Sad, sad list.  Shortest one ever.  But we did sell a house, buy a house, birth a baby, and keep not one but two kids alive for half the year.  Cutting myself some slack.  Really enjoyed what I read, though.  Loved the Hunger Games series.  Bossypants was funny.  Run Like a Mother , inspiring and motivational.  And really, really enjoyed The Paris Wife .  Made me want to read Hemingway to that may be on the list this year along with 50 Shades of Grey .  We're on vacation later this month so hopefully I...

Somewhere along the way I stopped doing New Years Resolutions. Did you notice? Instead, I figured I'd just focus on a few items on the ol' Life List. Like maybe these: Have that second child. Find the perfect mac and cheese recipe. (Can you believe I'm still looking?!) Make a baby quilt for that second child. And keep the beginnings of a good baby book for that same kid. To work on my posture. (Do you think that's a good or bad idea considering I'll be pregnant for 2/3 of the year?) Do you think I should add "keep sane" to the list? Do you think I even have any sanity left to keep? Anyway, the other idea that some folks embrace at the new year is to pick one word that they want to describe the upcoming 365 days (or 366 in this case). The word I have chosen and then kept a secret until now is balance . This should have been my word for the last several years but I'm claiming it this time. Considering we're going to change things up big time again th...

Geez, time has been flying. So, how's it going? Whatcha been up to? Have a good Thanksgiving? Things are still just rolling along. No terribly exciting updates but I do have a question for you (but feel free to answer the ones above, too). So over there on the side? Down a little, a little more...right there! Is my Life List. I've recently added a few things. Do you have one, formal or informal? What's on it? Just curious. Also, what's the largest number of strands of Christmas tree lights you can connect without fear of burning something down? One more thing, word on the street is it may snow on Friday. Nuts. That's all. Back to work.

I would just like to point out that over there--in the goal section--I've surpassed it. Even with a natural disaster and an entire week of working at The Brother's house. Surpassed it. I also realize it wasn't a lofty goal but the few months prior taught me that my goals were so lofty I'd never meet them. Baby step, people. So I'm rewarding myself with a new pair of running shoes. The new shoes have nothing to do with the fact that the old ones spent a week walking around on things contaminated by the poo water. (And wouldn't you know it? Now that I'm looking for new shoes, I can't find any I like.)

Last week after we got back from the long weekend I was very unmotivated. It took everything I had to get real work done those first few days. I don't know what changed after that, but I suddenly was in the zone. On Wednesday I went to my lady doctor for my annual poke and prod. I finally found someone I like, two years after being abandoned by my last OBGYN. This one seems good and actually listened to me when I complained about my crazy bad monthly headaches. We're switching things up and we'll see if that works. Praise tiny baby Jesus. I've also made long-overdue appointments for the eye doctor and to get my hair cut. The Boyfriend (mostly) and I got yardwork done. I finished one art project and threw in another little one just for fun. We finally took in the mounds of recycling. I cleaned up the junk sunroom. We had folks over for dinner. There are actually some groceries in the kitchen. I've been to the gym multiple times this month. My house is...

So you may remember this from the beginning of the year. Or not. I totally forgot about my goals and my theme but this post reminded me. To catch you up, my theme for 2008 was The Year of Reconnecting and I had three goals. Here's what I wrote before: I want to feel like I'm on a very real path to marriage. (Um, yes, this is scary to write. Makes me want to throw up a little bit so it must be a good one.) I want to have even closer relationships with my loved ones. I want to take better care of myself. In every way. Things are going well for #1. Still dating The Boyfriend, which is key. And we have good conversations and took that pre-marriage class awhile back. And my friend NL is so looking forward to a wedding that I think she could have the whole thing planned in about 5 minutes if I gave her the go ahead. #2 isn't going as well as I'd like for it to. I've spent at least a little time with everyone but not as much as I'd like. It's just so hard to ...

So there has been this movie (which I haven't yet seen) and this website (and this one ) that have led me to starting my own list. It's going to be over there on the side.

To continue on with Mondo Beyondo ... What I Want to Acknowledge Myself for Regarding 2007 Doing a really good job with work. I think I kept my strong work ethic and was able to see beyond just financial compensation to what else is truly important in a job. I remained loyal despite getting non-stop calls for other options. Having the (you know, I want to say "balls" so I'm going to) balls to take a vacation on my own. To a place I'd never been but have wanted to go. To use that airline credit instead of just letting it expire. To not feel sorry for myself for doing it because I could have sat at home alone or taken this fantastic trip alone and I chose the more exciting one. Taking time to enjoy parts of life outside of work. Being open enough to know that some really fantastic guy crossed my path and not letting that opportunity pass me (him, us) by. And being vulnerable which, you know, is not very comfortable. Managing a household (with an actual house and a...

I feel pretty good about the fact that I've now taken care of all the year-end blog stuff and it's only a week into '08. New "little things" list up there in the subtitle, new poll, new quiz. New start to the reading list. There have also been a few additions to the Concert List over there in the sidebar. For memory's sake, here's the list of '07 reads: 16. Four to Score 15. Dalai Lama, My Son: A Mother's Story 14. Three to Get Deadly 13. Two for the Dough 12. One for the Money 11. Wicked 10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 9. Marley and Me 8. Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas 7. Elegy for Iris (about half of it) 6. The Cider House Rules 5. Still Life with Woodpecker 4. Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood 3. Their Eyes Were Watching God 2. Sex and the City 1. Me Talk Pretty One Day Also, just an FYI, you may have noticed no 10 on Tuesdays lately. I've either been too busy or just not excited about the topic. This week's is ...

It seems like today warrants a post that sums it all up. Some of you (I know, I've received e-mails) would just like a post of any kind to know I'm still alive and postin'. I went over to Bubba's Sis' blog and she had a neat little entry that I tried to apply to my blog but mine didn't work out so well. It seems like the most important things in my life this year haven't happened near the beginning of each month. Instead, I thought I'd elaborate on the insert I sent with my Christmas card this year. 0: Job changes This one is shocking. It seems like all I do is change jobs. I'm happy here and am not ready to start looking. It's a nice feeling. 1: Great new boyfriend Yea for this one! Yea for someone who has stuck around through my holiday crazies. Who am I kidding? Yea for someone who has stuck around through my everyday crazies. 1: Cruise Ah, relaxation and fun. A vacation where I really didn't do any work at all. 1: Engaged brother Also ...

There's this organization I've been wanting to volunteer with for years. I'm talking maybe 7 years. It's a non-profit that helps kids (and their parent(s)) who have lost a sibling or parent. They help them deal with grief and realize they're not alone in this. Obviously, this is something to which I have personal connection. Many things have kept me from volunteering before--not knowing if I've dealt with my own stuff enough to help others' deal with theirs, working two jobs, transitioning into this whole travel lifestyle thing. But I guess since I was working with children and/or had many other goals I was working toward, I could keep putting it off. It's not like I've been sitting around reveling in all my free time. Lately, though, I've felt a little goal-less. In the best possible way. Things are good in so many areas of my life. No balls are waiting to be thrown in the air; they just need a little maintenance to keep them there. My...

Have you ever reached a point in your life where you feel directionless? That may sound like a desperate, hopeless thought but it’s actually the opposite. I suppose I’ve always been a person with goals. Like every part of me, that probably came from a combination of my personality and my upbringing. Being raised by a single mother can really make you a capable woman. I’m very grateful for that. I always knew I’d go to college. Even though very few people in my extended family had taken that route, I knew I wouldn’t entertain any other options after high school. I’d go to college and obtain a quality education that would lead me to a career. It was very important to my mother that we be able to take care of ourselves. Hopefully we’d have a partner with whom to go through life but you never know. The unexpected certainly happens. So I went to college and then grad school. I’ve had several jobs, each building on the last. I’ve finally reached a point where I can rest for awhile. And, bett...

I have not posted in the middle of the week at all over the last two weeks. What's up with that? This week was busy with travel, what with me being in the DFW area for 4 days. Then a delayed flight yesterday. By 9:15 this morning I had my 40 hours (I "went to work" at 9). You'd think that would equate to a very productive week. Not so much. I'm in need of some office time. But not today... I'll be home all next week for that. Nothing that absolutely has to be done right now. In the personal life, however, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I need a list so I can start crossing things off it. Get groceries. I have now owned this home 7 weeks and have yet to make a real trip to the grocery store. I've been surviving on other people's food and crackers (which started out as someone else's food as well). Buy mothballs. I hear this will drive the cats away. I don't know if I mentioned it before but the house came with 9 cats. All outdoor. Now, I...

As you should know by now (see here ), I have a tendency to have celebrity boyfriends. A few years ago it was John Mayer . I got in on that before he became super popular with his first album. I bought his second album. I not only loved his music as a whole, but loved his voice, his lyrics, his guitar skills... And he's cute and seemed, I don't know, like someone who was grounded and couldn't believe he got to the big leagues, etc. I have since moved on but still enjoyed the memories... Today, I saw this . Oh, John, I'm so disappointed in you... In other news, I'm in our great state capital this evening. I'm staying here . It's very hip. I think maybe too hip for me. Maybe too hip for me merely because I used the word "hip" to describe it. I'm surprised they let me in. Well, I am wearing corduroy... I know I should be writing about resolutions (see poll, as requested) since it's timely. When I finally get around to it it wil...

First, I know..."most busiest." This is both to emphasize just how busy and to fit with the appropriate number of syllables for the song. Who thought the Christmas season was a good time to buy a house? November was my worst travel month since April (which was my worst month ever). It worked out ok that I was able to do the in-person house-buying things while I was in town for a day or two. But my personal "to do" list is once again a mile long. On Saturday you don't really get going until the afternoon and on Sunday not everything is open. Would someone like to take my car in for an oil change? We could peel off that little corner windshield sticker in advance so you don't get berated for how long it's been. Anyone? How about going to the post office? Like that chore isn't always horrible let's throw in the holiday season. Anyone want to be a personal shopper for hard-to-buy for friends? Or take my computer in to get fixed (yep, stil...